Star Wars: Sparks of a Dying Empire
by Vardarr
Summary: Two TIE fighter pilots are doubting their loyalty to the Empire, after learning of it's destructive super weapon, dubbed the Death Star. Can they escape the Empires iron grip? And if so, where do they go? (Discontinued)
1. Duty

**Chapter 1: Duty**

 **1 BBY**

Gray, it was all so gray. "That's just how the inside of an Imperial Ship looks, you know that", Mathian Calarn thought. It represented the Imperial Military well, countless protocol and a disregard for the individuals, who served there. He learned of these things, from his first weeks in the academy, back on Vardan, his homeworld. He had been scared back then, mostly because he was drafted into the TIE Fighter Pilot program, he never thought he had the courage and the reflexes to fly a TIE Fighter, but he had been wrong. Though he and the others had gone through reflex training, and the hows-and wheres of the TIE Fighter, he still felt a little uneasy about the fighters lack of shields.

But here he was, walking down the hallways of The Crow, an Imperial Light Cruiser, in a TIE Fighter Pilots gear. His lean frame encased in the suit, the helmet covering his blonde hair, and his blue eyes. Walking at a steady pace, he continued walking towards the barracks. He liked walking around the ships hallways, regardless if it reminded him of nature of The Empire, it helped him think. He turned a corner and saw a fellow pilot: Casradi Morint. She was wearing the standard jumpsuit of TIE Fighter Pilots, had discarded the "Box" and the upper armor, that were worn when in flight. Instead of a helmet she had donned a black cap, an imperial cap of course, it same style of cap, as the many officers of the Empire had. Additionally, she had of course tied up her long black hair, per imperial regulations, though her black eyes shining brightly.

He gave her a nod, she gave him a warm smile in return. They had been in a "thing", since the middle stages of their training, the two then 19 year olds, had almost quit literally fallen in love. Mathian remembered it like it was yesterday, he had almost fallen one of the first days, she had caught him, after saying his thanks and cracking a joke, he and Casradi over the weeks secretly became good friends. Mathian didn't know when exactly it evolved to love, he would admit he had been attracted to her before that. It had been a quiet moment, a rare one where they were allowed to be themselves, they had kissed, that one time was the only one, it had been at the end of their training, Both had taken a while to process it. Now they were in a military starship, the most they could give eachother was the occasional smile, maybe even a hug, but most of the time they couldn't show their affection for each other, in those small ways, due to the rules in the military.

Suddenly, The alarm sounded, and a voice came over the intercom, "All personnel get to your battle stations, we are under attack!" Casradi looked at Mathian, and told him to go, she wouldn't be far behind, she said. "See you there." Mathian said hesitantly, before running of towards the fighter airlocks.

He quickly entered a fighter, and powered it up, the roar from the fighters engines sounding ever so intimidating, even a little bit to him. Out of the fighters viewport, he saw, what looked like almost a dozen starfighters, and two transports. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another TIE, flying parallel to himself, he could only guess, but the most logical option was Casradi, although you never really knew with TIE's.

"Sword Squadron" came a voice over the com, belonging to their squadron commander: Kalor Onn. "The Marauders are attempting another attack, we have orders to hold them of until, The Crows ion cannons are ready. You have permission to destroy all ships, but the C-ROC Gozanti, The Crow will take care of it."

The Rodia Marauders, as they called themselves, a band of pirates, who had been attempting for the last months to get to the surface, of Iaen 2, the planet Sword Squadron was assigned to protect. They had tried in many ways, but it seemed they had finally decided on a frontal assault. Mathian never had liked pirates.

Debris hurled through the space above Iaen 2, following the destruction of a Z-95, at the hand of a TIE Fighter. Mere moments after the TIE had destroyed it's target, it was caught in a counterattack from another Z-95, it's debris now also floating in space. Mathian closed in on the fighter, along with his wingman, he quickly pulled the trigger and the Z-95 was blown to pieces. "Take that he" he silently thought. He had never been an imperial patriot, but the death of his fellow pilots saddened him nonetheless.

Suddenly a panicked voice cut through: "Fighter behind me, can't shake him…." That was one more pilot, they had lost today. "No..." Was the silent word the entered Mathian's thoughts, He had trained for such things, but in reality he never was prepared to lose a fellow pilot.

But the Marauders looked to be falling back, it was finally over.


	2. Dark Tidings

**Chapter 2: Dark Tidings**

 **1 BBY**

A shuttle emerged in the dark void of space. It was a sleek white painted vessel, with two large unfolded wings, a Lambda Class shuttle, a standard ship in the Empire.

" _This is Shuttle LT-234_. We're on route to the surface, sending pass codes now."

" _Codes check LT-234_. _Go ahead_. "

As the com channel was closed, Mathian who was standing on the bridge, had begun think about the strange occurrence he had had just then. He had begun to feel cold ever since the shuttle had dropped out of hyperspace. It unnerved him, it was just a shuttle, and the coldness he felt, didn't pass like a natural shiver coming out of a lack of warmth, or otherwise, no it had stayed, along with a sudden feeling of fear, until now.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't shake the worried expression of his face.

No one in the room had seemed to notice, despite his lack of a helmet. But what would they do anyway, the people on this ship were not cold hearted people, but they mostly followed the protocols.

" _Is it true_? _Lord Vader is onboard that ship_?" He heard a crewman say to another.

" _Yes_ , _it is true_."

Captain Monaha, the ship's commander, didn't seem to care about the two mens breach of protocol, perhaps he was curious as well. Lord Vader coming here, one of the most mysterious but yet high ranking figures in the Empire.

Whatever the ground forces had found in the marauders hideout, had to have been important. " _Jedi Artifacts maybe_?" He thought.

Jedi, he had heard a lot about them on his homeworld, despite the Empires hatred for them. Though the majority of the people living on Vardan hated the jedi, the Empire still had their ways of enforcing the "proper" view of the Jedi.

" _A result of the Clone Wars_ …" Mathian thought, and sighed inwardly.

After a stretch of time had passed, the shuttle had ascended to space, subsequently jumping into hyperspace.

The feeling of coldness finally disappeared, to Mathian's relief. At least he could properly focus on his duties for the remainder of his shift, and not worry about the feeling.


	3. Brave New World

**Chapter 3: Brave New World**

 **0 BBY**

Chaos, that was his best word for it. Sword Squadron had been stationed on ground in a few months, on Col, a planet in the Outer Rim. It had been peaceful enough, but a few weeks earlier, riots had broken out.

There were loud persistent rumors, the destruction of Alderaan, by an imperial super weapon, later destroyed by the Rebels, over some desolate planet. Mathian had hoped it to not be true when he had first heard it, but the reaction from the Imperial Garrison stationed on the planet had disproved it. They had been brutal, to brutal for this to be fake.

He remembered it clearly. Just a few days before, leaders of the riots had been publicly executed, and it had been broadcast to not only the rest of the planet, but the rest of the system.

It had been a clear warning, and a frightening one at that.

He had been stupid, naive, he didn't want to believe the Empire could do such a thing, but with it's reaction to the news and the many sources claiming it to be true, he had begun to believe them. Casradi had too. All of them, even the past ones, about the Empires massacres and other horrendous war crimes.

They had talked about it, and finally they knew exactly what to do.

Safe, they were safe, for the time being.

It had been weeks, but they had finally gotten the opportunity to flee from the empire. They had gotten out and met with a smuggler, Casradi had hired, he gave them two civilian jackets, it would cover the insignia on the black suits, and the stormtroopers on their night shifts hopefully wouldn't see through the "Disguise". " _Look on the bright side_ , _at least i don't have to wear that stupid cap_." Mathian had thought.

Here they were, aboard the smugglers ship, on route to the Casjib system, in the Outer Rim.

" _Time for a new life_."

* * *

" _Good luck_." The Duros smuggler said, and turned around walking towards his ship.

" _We will definitely need it_." Casradi said.

" _Yeah_." Mathian muttered.

A long time went by searching for a place with beds for rent, but finally they found it.

A small but comfortable place. Away from the empire.

While speaking with the cashier, a kind looking woman, a man appeared from another room. The man caught Mathian and Casradi's attention. While his looks were not anything special, brown eyes, white hair, it was the way he carried himself, like a military man.

It worried him, what if he was an Imperial Spy? Even if he just happened to run into them, he would still be dangerous. But why did they run, he had asked himself, but how could they attempt to legally divorced themselves from the Empire? They had killed hundreds of rioters, when it was not necessary, why wouldn't they kill them, if they knew to much about Imperial Military Protocol, or because of the current turmoil?

He was becoming more paranoid, " _He is just a former soldier_ , _calm down_." He tried to reassure himself with his thought.

" _Something wrong_?" The man said, in a powerful voice.

" _No_ , _we have just had a long day_." Casradi said, as she smiled at him.

" _She always knows how to handle a situation_." Mathian thought, a smile emerging on his face.

" _Enjoy your stay_." the woman said after a few moments of silence.

" _Thanks_."

Mathian would enjoy the peace the stay would provide, as long as he was able.


End file.
